Advances in dental and chemical technology have provided toothpastes, mouth rinses and cleaning instruments which prevent a substantial portion of the tooth decay which in the past resulted in tooth loss. With this success, dentists and manufacturers of oral hygiene products have now directed their focus toward prevention of gum disease which also is a significant cause of tooth loss. One of the oldest yet still most effective means to combat gum disease is flossing.
In recent years, dentists and dental hygienists have placed a great deal of emphasis on the importance of regular flossing, preferably on a daily basis. Flossing has been shown to be highly effective in removing interproximal plaque and reducing gingivitis, however, only the most conscientious individuals maintain a daily regimen of flossing. Flossing is often unpleasant and has a number of problems which ultimately result in the failure to floss daily. Flossing can cause gagging and it can be painful trying to hold one's mouth open long enough and wide enough to floss every tooth. Also, it is difficult to work with fingers from both hands in the mouth so that the force applied to get the floss between the teeth can be excessive so that the floss snaps into the gum causing it to bleed, it can be painful wrapping the floss tight enough around the fingers to maintain the needed tension, and it is unpleasant having to handle the wet, used floss. In addition, while floss is relatively inexpensive, so much floss is used in a single cleaning, on the order of one-and-a-half to two feet, that a lot of floss is used and disposed of in a relatively short time. This waste will be particularly significant when flossing is done daily as it should be. At a time when disposability is not always a positive feature due to environmental concerns, the amount of floss disposed of should ideally be minimized.
A number of flossing devices are currently commercially available which have the object in mind of avoiding use of an individual's fingers to position the floss appropriately. These devices, however, are constructed of inexpensive plastics and the forks which stretch the floss bend under strain so that the tension is decreased and inconsistent. Also, many of these devices are configured so that they must be held in an awkward manner, practically placing the fingers in the mouth just to control the placement. Clearly, these devices have not become widely accepted because they have not resulted in the increased regularity of flossing among the general populace. Also, dental hygienists continue to clean their patients' teeth with the floss wrapped around their fingers rather than using a tool, although this is partly due to the fact that hygienists are trained to floss in this manner.
With the above limitations of the current technology in mind, it would be desirable to provide an economical flossing device which maintains the appropriate tension, is easy to manipulate within the mouth, is comfortable to hold, is conservative in its use of floss, and is suitable for use by both individuals for themselves and dental professionals for their patients. It is toward this goal that the present invention is directed.